CRISIS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 CRISIS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY HANDBOOK Broward County Public Schools The School Board of Broward County, Florida Benjamin J. Williams, Chairperson Beverly A. Gallagher, Vice-Chairperson Stephanie Arma Kraft, Esq. Carole L. Andrews Robin Bartleman Darla L. Carter Maureen S. Dinnen Dr. Robert D. Parks Marty Rubinstein Dr. Frank Till Superintendent of Schools Division of Curriculum and Instruction/Student Support Dr. Earlean C. Smiley, Deputy Superintendent Leah Kelly, Executive Director, Student Support Services/Exceptional Student Education The School Board of Broward County, Florida, prohibits any policy or procedure that results in discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, marital status, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Revised 2006

2 CRISIS PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dr. Lane W. Roosa, Director, Psychological Services Dr. Les Baker, School Psychologist/Team Leader Jackie Bell, School Psychologist Julian Biller, School Psychologist Bonnie Cronenberg, Intern School Psychologist Dr. Judith Friedman, Coordinator, Family Counseling Dr. Melissa Harrison, School Psychologist Bernard O. Hodowal, School Psychologist Dr. Karen Hoff, School Psychologist Laura Holt, School Social Worker/Team Leader Dr. Mark Lyon, School Psychologist Barbara Mills, School Social Worker Emy Pardo, School Psychologist Jackie Pena, School Social Worker Kim Purinton, School Social Worker Diane Warner, School Psychologist Stephani Weaver, Prevention Specialist Revised

3 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. Services of the Area Support Team 6 3. Prevention and Preparedness: General Information 7 4. Crisis Response and Recovery: General Operational Procedures 9 Communication: Crisis Fact Sheet 15 Media Guidelines 16 School Communication with the Parent/Caregiver 18 Staff Support 19 I. Considerations for the Classroom Teacher Responding to Students in Crisis 22 Common Questions 23 General Guidelines 25 Classroom Activities 28 Student Grief Reactions 30 Student Reactions to Traumatic Experiences 31 Cultural Considerations 33 Students with Special Needs 34 II. Considerations for the Parent/Caregiver Tips on How to Help Your Child after a Traumatic Event 36 Support Information 38 Identifying Potential Warning Signs in Youths 39 Supplementary Materials: III. IV. Specific Crisis Considerations Death of a Student/Staff Member 40 General Information on Natural Disasters 41 Natural Disasters: Hurricanes 42 Suicide Attempt 44 Following a Suicide 45 Suicide (What to Say, What Not to Say) 47 Targeted School Violence 48 Terrorism and War: General Reactions 49 Terrorism and War: Tips for the Parent/Caregiver and Teachers 50 Post-Crisis Considerations Memorials 53 The Anniversary Effect: Tips for Teachers 54 The Anniversary Effect: Tips for the Parent/Caregiver 56 3

4 Bibliography 57 Selected Resources for the Parent/Caregiver and Teachers 62 Appendix A: SAFE Team Planning Document Instructions 63 Appendix B: SAFE Team Planning Document 65 Appendix C: Sample School Announcements 70 Appendix D: Sample Letter to Parent/Caregiver (Adult s Death) 71 Sample Letter to Parent/Caregiver (Student s Death) 72 Sample Letter to Parent/Caregiver (Accidental Death) 73 Appendix E: Warning Signs Checklist for Children Exposed to Traumatic Events 74 Appendix F: SAFE Team Recovery Checklist 76 Appendix G: Principal Crisis Response Checklist 81 Appendix H: Stress Warning Signals 82 Appendix I: Measuring Life Stress Checklist 83 Appendix J: Healthy Coping Strategies 85 4

5 INTRODUCTION The current Crisis Response and Recovery Handbook is a revision of the Crisis Support Team Procedures Manual that was first issued in 1989 and revised in 1997 and This revision is not designed to be a stand-alone document. Rather, it should be viewed as supplemental information for use in the development of SAFE Team plans. Historically, area-based teams made up of psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors, who respond to requests for assistance from individual schools, have provided crisis support services for Broward. The current revision retains much of the existing model, but focuses more on the issues surrounding response and recovery for the school-based team. The intended reader for the handbook is the mental health practitioner. External support continues to be available from the area student services staff, but the belief is that school staff who have clearly assigned roles and a response plan, will provide the fastest and most effective reactions to a traumatic event. Should the school require the additional support of an area team, the school s plan and activated crisis team staff will help the school to use external resources in the most effective way. The intent of the handbook is to provide best practices guidance in the areas of crisis prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. It focuses on addressing the emotional (mental health) effects that may accompany a traumatic event. The handbook is divided into several sections. The first section focuses on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. The second section contains supplementary materials for the classroom teacher and parents/caregivers. Section two also has information on specific crises (e.g., natural disasters, suicide, school violence, and terrorism/war), as well as post-crisis considerations. Crisis management is a continuous process. The information provided in the handbook should be viewed as a working document that should be reviewed and updated on a yearly basis, also as best practices in crisis intervention change and as new situations arise. The handbook provides general guidelines for crisis response and recovery and may be used in conjunction with individual school safety and security plans. The information in the handbook is not all-inclusive. Each crisis is different and should be treated with care and consideration with regard to its unique circumstances. 5

6 SERVICES OF THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM The primary purpose of the Area Crisis Support Team is to offer assistance to schools and students when a crisis occurs, such as the death of a student or a staff member. Team members may offer factual information, explain normal reactions, enhance students' mental health, and offer advice that is not value laden. The Area Crisis Support Team provides both direct and indirect intervention services. Examples of direct services include: Individual or group consultation with: students parents staff members Examples of indirect or third party consultation include: conferring with counselors regarding continued counseling needs and individual cases. consulting with administrators regarding students being excused from school. crisis management. conflict resolution. media interaction. conferring with teachers regarding crisis follow-up activities. The assumptions that underlie all Area Crisis Support Team work at the school level, are that the team's function is to supplement and not supplant the work of regularly assigned personnel, and that area team services are linked to the school-based crisis response plan. 6

7 PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS Although this handbook primarily deals with crisis response and recovery, the school district also focuses on prevention and preparedness. It is important that students feel safe in their learning environment. The district addresses this issue in a variety of ways. There is a character education program for students in grades K-12 that has nine tenets; cooperation, responsibility, citizenship, kindness, respect, honesty, self-control, and tolerance. In order to provide students with a quality education in a safe and secure learning environment, the district enforces a Code of Student Conduct. Parents/caregivers and their children are asked to read the code and return the acknowledgement form at the beginning of the school year. School counselors help our students build life skills. Skill-building groups are available in many areas: making friends, coping, social skills, conflict management, career decisionmaking, goal setting, and college assistance. The Family Counseling Program offers free short-term counseling services, crisis intervention, and consultation. Individual, family, and group counseling are available for Broward County residents who have children enrolled in school. For further information about this program, please go to or call There is a behavioral health partnership between the School Board of Broward County, the Department of Children and Families, parents/caregivers, community mental health centers, and other children s agencies. This multi-agency service network, called the Severely Emotionally Disturbed Children and Youth (SEDNET), is a support for children with severe emotional disturbances. For further information on SEDNET, please refer to Staff training in violence prevention that is available through Psychological Services includes threat assessment, warning signs, and safe zone listener procedures. A warning signs presentation is also available for parents/caregivers and students. For further information on training opportunities available through Psychological Services, please call Practical strategies (e.g., managing test anxiety, handling storm related stress, supporting students with ADHD strategies, etc.) for parents/caregivers and teachers are available from Psychological Services on the website services/html/parentsupport.htm Through the Department of School Social Work and Attendance, all school personnel are trained in policies and procedures with regard to suspected child abuse. Each spring child abuse prevention activities, including a curriculum packet for the Child Abuse Designee in each school, are completed. There is a teen parent program that offers counseling, case management, and family support services. Schools have access to truancy intervention services through School Social Work and Attendance. The following services are available through the Homeless Education Program: school-based tutorial instruction, homework assistance, shelter-based supplemental academic instruction, assistance with school registration and transportation, school supplies, resource information, case management, crisis intervention, assistance with boundary exceptions, referrals to support services, and career awareness information. Staff development and presentations are available to community agencies and civic groups. For further information on resources available through School Social Work and Attendance, please call or go to 7

8 Broward County Schools and the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) offer various prevention programs for our school community that may be used by parent, teacher, and community groups. SIU offers prevention programs, such as crime prevention through environmental design, non-violent crisis intervention training, project C.A.R.G.O., on-line cyberspace prevention, etc. SIU also offers youth education programs, such as gang awareness and education (including resistance skills training) and the youth crime watch (YCW). School staff in-service training and parent training in gang prevention education is also available. The Silence Hurts/Safe Zone Listener Campaign has been implemented in the Broward County Schools as a way for students to have trusted adults in each school available to talk to about any dangerous situations (i.e., threats, suicide ideation, etc.). The Anonymous Tips Hotline is another resource for students and staff to give information about potentially dangerous situations, For further information on SIU services/resources, please go to Peer counseling programs are also provided through the Office of Prevention Programs. Every middle and high school has the program, which promotes the health, safety, and well being of our students through peer education and referral. At the elementary school level, there is a Peer Helper Program. For further information on Peer Counseling, please call The school district has a suicide prevention designee in every school. The designee educates school staff in warning signs and is a part of his or her school s crisis team. Students against destructive decisions (SADD) is a peer-led group at the middle and high school level that focuses on preventing underage drug use and drinking. For further information on any of these topics, please refer to their website at The Project BLAST Family Counseling Program is sponsored by the district, Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Florida Department of Education. BLAST provides free short-term counseling to students and their families, with an emphasis on violence and substance abuse prevention. BLAST uses two research-based programs, Too Good for Drugs for students in grades K-12 and Skills for Managing Anger for children in grades 6-8. The Office of Prevention Programs has many prevention programs in place to support students and staff in the district. For school staff, various training opportunities on drug and violence related topics, conflict resolution, and classroom management workshops, are available. The Safe and Drug Free Schools Program is a federal program designed to prevent violence in the school community through education and prevention activities in the schools. Two additional programs are available for implementation through this department. The Too Good for Drugs program is for students in grades K-12. This substance abuse prevention program has five components: goal setting, decision-making, bonding with others, identification and management of emotions, and effective communication. The second program is Get Real About Violence and is for students in grades K-12. For further information, please call

9 GENERAL OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES What follows is a summary of post-crisis considerations for school-based teams. All members of the school community should be kept informed with current accurate information. Included are: (1) general operating procedures, with recommendations for actions that need to be planned/implemented in the aftermath of serious crises, (2) rationales from the crisis literature that support why these actions represent best practices, (3) lists of questions that will help crisis support teams systematically implement each action, (4) the crisis fact sheet, (5) media guidelines, (6) communication with the parent/caregiver, (7) staff support, (8) considerations for the classroom teacher, and (10) considerations for the parent/caregiver. Recognizing that each crisis may require different procedures, the following general operational procedures could apply to many cases. 1. RE-OPEN SCHOOL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE All available evidence points to the fact that school should be re-opened as soon as possible following a crisis, ideally the next day. The crisis literature clearly shows that the sooner a crisis intervention is provided for survivors, and the more survivors have the opportunity to talk about their reactions to the incident, the better the chances for a full and expedient recovery. Additionally, while parents are a source of emotional support for their children during a crisis, trained school personnel are more knowledgeable than most parents about typical childhood reactions to crisis and how to resolve them. Hence, a speedy return to school is desirable. Are we prepared to re-open school tomorrow? If not, what obstacles are preventing re-opening? How will we deal with these obstacles, and when can we be ready for a safe return to school? 2. DO NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVE BACK TO SCHOOL Although it is certainly appropriate to remove sordid reminders of an incident or make repairs needed for safety (e.g., clean up blood, remove broken glass, repair damaged furniture, etc.), do not delay the reopening of school for major repairs (e.g., filling in bullet holes, making major repairs to the building that do not affect safety). Additionally, do not remove spontaneous memorials to students or staff (e.g., flowers, cards, other items left in remembrance), but rather allow students and staff to view such expressions of grief. Similarly, do not attempt to erase all presence of victims of a crisis at school (e.g., removing personal effects from lockers, or samples of work on the bulletin board, etc.) before the students return. Have we made sensible repairs/clean-up to the building to ensure student and staff safety? Have we left memorials and other expressions of grief for the victims in place for students and staff to view? Do we have a plan for when to remove these objects, as well as the victim(s) personal belongings? 9

10 3. IDENTIFY POTENTIALLY AT-RISK STUDENTS AND STAFF Members of the school s crisis team should apply the Circles of Vulnerability screening approach to identify, in advance, those persons that seem most likely to be affected by the traumatic event. The dimensions (circles) are: physical proximity, psychosocial proximity and population at-risk. Physical Proximity = the extent of direct exposure (or closeness to) the traumatic event Psychosocial Proximity = closeness in terms of relationship to a victim Population At-Risk = other exposures to trauma or current involvement with stressful circumstances While each dimension is important to consider, those individuals with overlaps, i.e., involvement of more than one dimension should receive close monitoring. 4. PREPARE THE FACULTY FOR STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL A mandatory meeting of faculty should be held before students return to school after a crisis. Be sure to allow faculty to express grief, and any fears or concerns they have about the first day back, to review plans for assisting students, and to give permission for temporary modifications to the general curriculum to address emotions in a time of loss. Have we held a general faculty meeting after the initial crisis? Are all faculty members reasonably informed about procedures and plans for assisting students on the first day back? Does everyone seem to understand how the activities on the first day back might be altered? Do all faculty members have a reasonably good understanding of how to access special services for students (e.g., counseling, other mental health services) on the first day back? 5. CAREFULLY PLAN THE STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL A number of issues need to be addressed before the students return to school. These include: working out a schedule for the first day, whether or not to conduct a school-wide assembly to start the day, how to handle the variety of emotional reactions students may have, how to handle parents who drop by school on the first day, how best to deploy student support services (particularly, whether outside assistance is needed to handle the needs of students), and having greeters present when children return to school. Do we have a good plan for the first day, in terms of how the schedule might be altered? Do we have a good plan for the first day, in terms of how to deploy student support services? Who will, and how will we handle parents who drop by needing to talk on the first day? Do we have greeters for the front door? Will we have an assembly to start the school day? Who will speak and what will be said? 10

11 Considering the scope of the crisis, do we need to assign mental health professionals to ride each school bus on the first day? Do we have the personnel to accomplish this? Any student who was significantly affected by the crisis should be provided with individual counseling services at the school at any time during the day, either at his/her request or from a teacher s recommendation. Some students may require ongoing counseling services and support. 6. PROVIDE STRUCTURE AT SCHOOL IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE CRISIS Both the crisis and stress literature clearly show that a return to familiar routines is healing and restorative in the wake of a crisis. For young children in particular, this will provide a sense of comfort and security. Although the schedule will likely need to be altered on the first day back to school, it is important to return to typical routines in the days that follow. Are we prepared to resume normal operations on the second day back to school? Do we have a plan for monitoring and catching students who still seem to be in distress (e.g., touching base with teachers for students reactions, reviewing student products, such as cards, drawings, etc.), and connecting them with student support services (e.g., counseling, family counseling, etc.)? 7. MEET WITH YOUR CRISIS TEAM MEMBERS A large part of successful recovery efforts is related to how the initial crisis was handled. The immediate aftermath of a crisis is the best time to meet with your crisis team to evaluate how everything was handled, to modify on-going efforts if necessary, and to gather information on how to proceed with future crisis situations. Has the crisis team met to discuss how the incident and its aftermath was/is being handled? What worked well? What did not work well? What are some of the root causes of the incident; and what could we do to prevent such incidents in the future? How are students, parents, staff and the crisis team members recovering from the effects of the crisis? 8. CONSIDER UTILIZING PEER COUNSELORS AT SECONDARY LEVEL SCHOOLS (HELP PREPARE THEM) TO MEET WITH PEERS WHO ARE IN DISTRESS 9. REEVALUATE YOUR SCHOOL S NEED FOR OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE As things become more settled following a crisis, you may think of additional needs your school has, that were missed in the initial upheaval of the crisis situation. Now is the time to reassess whether you have additional needs related to recovery that cannot be met with internal resources. Do we need additional, outside assistance in dealing with recovery? What specific needs do we have? Where can we access the resources to meet these needs? 11

12 10. ADDRESS THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS It is not recommended that all physical reminders of an incident be removed before students return to school (e.g., patching bullet holes, removing spontaneous memorials and objects left in remembrance, etc.). At some point, however, returning the physical facility to its original condition will be required. In most instances, it is recommended that you delay this activity for at least 3-7 days to allow sufficient time for students and families to view memorials and express grief. Depending on the nature of the crisis, it may be appropriate to delay some of these activities for several weeks. Do we have a carefully thought-out plan for removing the physical effects of the incident? Who will be responsible and how will we remove such physical effects? 11. RESPOND WITH SENSITIVITY TO FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS Families have a variety of preferences regarding funeral plans for the untimely death of a student. It is important for school personnel to be sensitive to the family s needs and wishes in this circumstance. Someone from the school-based team should check with the family about their wishes concerning the funeral, particularly about attendance of large numbers of students from school. This is likely to be more of an issue with secondary students than elementary; nevertheless, being sensitive to the family s wishes is imperative in all cases. In those cases where families welcome attendance of students at the funeral, the school will need to have a plan for orderly release of students for funeral services. Have we checked with the family about their preferences for funeral attendance? Have we communicated their wishes to faculty, staff, and students? Do we have a plan for the release of students for funeral services? 12. TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO DEAL WITH INFORMAL MEMORIALS TO THE CRISIS VICTIMS Informal memorials are common in many types of crises. A memorial to victims is usually spontaneously created by members of the school or surrounding community following a severe crisis. People may be holding candlelight vigils, sending flowers, or placing symbolic items outside the school. These memorial activities help to express sorrow after a tragedy and should not be discouraged. The administrator can assist by establishing a certain area at the school for such offerings. Additionally, the administrator needs to be cognizant of possible safety issues when memorials develop off-site. Thus, the administrator may need to contact local law enforcement should safety issues arise (e.g., roadside memorial). Deciding when to remove the offerings should be made with sensitivity to the emotional needs of survivors. Thus, it is a good idea to involve a few students and staff in this decision. When removing items from memorials, place savable items in storage boxes at the school and offer family members the opportunity to look through them and determine whether they wish to keep anything. It may be some time before the family is able to do so. A mental health professional from the crisis team should review the items carefully before the family reviews them and discuss with the administrator any contents that may be emotionally hurtful. 12

13 Are memorial activities being allowed? Does a certain area need to be designated for these memorial activities? Are savable memorial items being stored until they can be reviewed by family members of the victim(s)? Has a mental health professional examined the memorial items prior to them being reviewed by the family members of the victim(s)? 13. ANTICIPATE DELAYED EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS Although it may appear that things have returned to normal at your school, be alert for subsequent events that may trigger additional trauma. Similar occurrences in other schools, later trauma to someone a student knows well, or anniversaries of the original incident may all create a degree of re-traumatization in some students. Have we marked the anniversary of the incident on our calendars? Do we plan to do anything special on the anniversary? Have we communicated with staff and parents about the anniversary effect? Are we prepared to handle individual students who experience additional trauma after the initial incident has passed? 14. BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE COPYCAT INCIDENTS When an incident is particularly severe (e.g., school shootings), you need to be alert for the possibility of potential copycat effects. This is especially true for incidents that garner a large amount of media attention. Unfortunately, media coverage can sometimes glamorize a crisis event and may give troubled students very specific ideas about how they might perpetrate similar incidents. Do we have a good plan for monitoring student reactions to the crisis? Do we have systematic means in place for gathering and communicating information about students who might pose a threat in our school (e.g., Silence Hurts/Safe Zone Listeners Program)? 15. BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE SCHOOL AVOIDANCE PROBLEMS School avoidance may occur, depending upon the nature of the crisis. The way to escape school avoidance is by having students return to school as quickly as possible. If there is a consistent pattern of absenteeism following a crisis, a crisis team member should contact the family. Usually students stay home (or their parents keep them home) due to a lack of information about what to expect at school after a crisis. A crisis team member should talk to the student about his/her fears and inform the student that other students are at school who may have similar feelings, but that they are receiving assistance together. Thus, the team member acknowledges the student s feelings (usually fears) and provides reassurance by informing him/her of the safety measures and counseling services available at the school. This should alleviate school avoidance. Additionally, inform the family that going back to school can be therapeutic. Is the school being reopened as soon as possible? For students who are absent the first day back following a crisis, has a crisis team member contacted the family? Please refer to Warning Signs Checklist (Appendix E) for further information. 13

14 16. BE AWARE THAT THE RECOVERY PROCESS TAKES TIME AND MAY IMPACT THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. While you want to be positive about the start of a new year, some acknowledgement of the previous year s incident may be warranted. You should not downplay the effects of a severe crisis by going on as if nothing ever happened. Do we need to do something special at the beginning of the school year to assure that things get off to a positive start? What will this involve (e.g., an activity, a memorial, a ceremony, etc.)? Who will be responsible and what will need to be done? 14

15 CRISIS RESPONSE: CRISIS FACT SHEET Please see Appendix A (SAFE Team Planning Document Instructions) and Appendix B (SAFE Team Planning Document). The Crisis Fact Sheet is a brief description of the crisis situation based upon information obtained from reliable sources. The Crisis Fact Sheet identifies any persons or groups at the school who are especially likely to be affected by the crisis or any unique circumstances with which external support staff would not be familiar. School Date Description of the Crisis (i.e., who, what, where, when): Persons or Groups Likely to be Affected: Unique Circumstances: Prepared by: Phone: 15

16 MEDIA GUIDELINES After an incident of targeted school violence, media coverage is highly likely. Even if a crisis has occurred previously at school involving the death of a student or staff member, the media coverage will significantly differ in response to targeted school violence. A twopronged approach is recommended to handle the media following targeted school violence. The school district must focus on media containment and media cooperation. Containment means setting appropriate limits for media access to staff members and to information about the crisis or the school/district response. The staff of the Communications & Media Relations Department should be consulted as part of planning the school s response to a crisis event. Pages are directly from the Communications and Media Relations Department of the Broward County Schools website. Further information is available by calling

17 QUICK TIPS FOR MEDIA INTERACTIONS When reporters call or show up at your school, here are some pointers: Don t panic! There s no reason to panic because a reporter has shown up at your school or is on the phone. Take reporters call if you can - if not, ask your secretary to find out what the call is regarding and tell them you will return the call. If it s going to be a while before you call back, make sure the reporter knows that. Be nice. Remember, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Their deadlines are not your deadlines. However, be sure to RETURN THE CALL - even if it s your secretary telling them you are unable to call them back due to your schedule. Ignoring reporters won t make them go away - it will only make them angry. Think before you speak. Remember, you can t un-say something. If the subject requires some research, tell them so - they will understand. Again, be sure to return their call - either with the proper information or the name and/or department they should call to get the information. You have the final say-so when it comes to your school - what YOU say, goes. If you do not want a reporter on campus, then that s that. However, don t use this as a standard response there must be a reason behind your no. Reporters, like all other visitors, MUST follow established rules at your school. They MUST check-in at the front office and should not be allowed to roam around without an escort. When it comes to students, remember one thing: NO students can be interviewed and/or photographed unless they have a current media release on file that is signed by their parent(s) or guardian giving permission. Never, ever say no comment. There are other ways to say no comment without saying no comment. Some examples are: That isn t something I can discuss now because I don t have all the facts. I m really not the best person to talk with about that. You should call DO NOT SPECULATE. If you do not have the facts about something, don t try to guess. Either take a few minutes to gather the facts, or refer the reporter to the right person. DO NOT ELABORATE. If you are asked a Yes or No question, give a Yes or No answer. There is NO SUCH THING as off the record. This just means you won t be quoted directly, but what you say may still be used in the story. Assume when you are talking with a reporter, you are always on the record. When in doubt, individuals can always call the Communications & Media Relations Department - that s what we re here for. The number is

18 CRISIS RESPONSE: COMMUNICATION SCHOOL COMMUNICATION WITH THE PARENT/CAREGIVER Communication is key. Providing full authoritative information regarding the crisis/incident will help prevent escalation and dissemination of any unfounded rumors. Parents need to know that there will be no delay in follow-up activities to support the school community as well as their individual child. 1. CONSIDER IMMEDIATE AND ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY AND/OR COMMUNITY MEETINGS Has an off-campus meeting been scheduled with parents/caregivers, students, and authorized community support groups/individuals for either the night of the crisis, or as soon thereafter as is possible, in order to provide up-to-date and accurate information? Have all current safety measures been presented and explained? Are discussions occurring regarding ongoing pro-active steps that are being implemented to prevent repetition of the crisis? Are we discouraging parents from letting their children stay home after a school crisis? Are we providing individual support where initial signs of school phobia appear? Distribute the Tips for Parents documents. Answer any questions parents may have about the tips, but avoid prolonged discussions of specific students. 2. STAY IN CONTACT WITH PARENTS/CAREGIVERS (BE SURE COMMUNICATION IS IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE PARENTS/CAREGIVERS, AND TAKES INTO ACCOUNT CULTURAL DIFFERENCES.) Are we planning to send a general note to all parents on the first day back to school regarding: ongoing crisis response activities, school/system resources being used, community resources available, and appropriate steps to be taken at home? Are we providing weekly updates? Are we inviting frequent personal contact from parents with special concerns? Are we initiating frequent personal contact with parents when we have special concerns? If a student needs services beyond those offered through on school-site interventions and programs, a mental health professional should be contacted for a referral to off-site resources. School district mental health professionals include guidance counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and family counselors. This professional will make a referral to mental health partners of the school district based on the needs of the student/family. 18

19 CRISIS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY STAFF SUPPORT 1. MEET WITH STAFF TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT CONCERNS THEY HAVE AND TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL POST-CRISIS PROBLEMS AND RESPONSE PROCEDURES Although schools are likely to recognize the need to schedule a faculty/staff meeting as one of the first responses to a traumatic event, it is also important to provide communication opportunities after the initial crisis response period. In a post-crisis meeting, staff members are afforded an opportunity to share residual concerns that they have about the effects of the traumatic event or the crisis support activities provided thus far. Members of the school s crisis support team familiarize staff with potential problems that may appear in the recovery phase, available supports, and how to access them. This information includes: warning signs for children and adults, characteristics of students who may require close monitoring, parameters of the teacher s role in providing support to students, and identification of staff members who will provide further support and the procedures for referring students to them. Staff members need to be prepared for unexpected reactions from students, from belligerent or blaming behavior to insistence on a school-wide prayer. Staff members need to recognize that acting-out behaviors may be indicators that the student needs help. Additionally, when meeting with students, staff members should not initiate discussion of religious beliefs, but should be tolerant of the various beliefs of group members. Specifically, care should be taken to avoid alienating students whose perspectives are different from the majority of students. The Employee Assistance Program: If a staff member needs follow-up services beyond those offered through on school-site interventions, consider the Employee Assistance Program. The Employee Assistance Program is a confidential service that can be accessed by calling It is important to provide information to the faculty/staff about how the crisis experience may have ongoing effects on them, how they can obtain respite or breaks if necessary. For example, the administrator may want to consider hiring substitute teachers or acquiring zone substitute teachers to provide respite and to cover those classes whose students are not significantly affected by the crisis. However, a crisis team member (or mental health professional) may need to cover classes that have students more directly affected by the crisis. Have teachers/staff been provided with a post-crisis meeting to address their concerns? Have teachers/staff been alerted to warning signs for post-crisis reactions by children and adults? Do teachers/staff members know how to refer students or how to self-refer for support services? 19

20 2. HAVE THE CRISIS SUPPORT TEAM IDENTIFY THOSE STAFF MEMBERS MOST LIKELY TO HAVE ONGOING EFFECTS FROM THE TRAUMATIC EVENT Just as there are students who are more at risk for post-trauma adjustment problems, there are adults in the school who might be more affected by exposure to a crisis. These individuals would include those who have recently, or are currently, experiencing other stressors or those who have had a close connection to the others associated with the traumatic event (e.g., a teacher is strongly impacted by the death of a colleague who had been a mentor and friend). It is important that the crisis team give thoughtful consideration to how to check-in on these co-workers without being intrusive. It is also important to discuss how individuals that may need short periods of respite can be relieved of some responsibilities when necessary. Has the school-based crisis team discussed which staff members might be particularly vulnerable to emotional difficulties as a result of the traumatic event? Did the team identify faculty/staff members who can be called upon to help in monitoring those who may be vulnerable (i.e. informal peer support)? Did the team discuss how to provide coverage for a staff member s duties should that person need respite? Possible long-term reactions that staff may experience may include the following: Detachment and/or withdrawal Denial Depression Difficulty concentrating Anxiety and/or hypervigilance Marital/partner difficulties Eating and/or sleeping difficulties Fatigue (e.g., physical, mental) Irritability and/or low frustration tolerance Loss of interest in enjoyable activities 3. TAKE TIME FOR SELF-CARE. TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF ALLOWS YOU TO BE THERE FOR OTHERS. It is important that all school staff take care of their emotional and physical needs. Through the nature of their role, members of the school crisis team may be especially susceptible to burnout. Members of the team should take care to do the following: Nurture the crisis team Take care to ensure that crisis team members have restroom breaks, food/drinks (in a private area is preferred), and time to consume them, as well as breaks for respite from the tension of counseling Train new team members through mentoring Pair up individuals just learning crisis intervention with experienced team members 20

21 Signs of Burnout (See Appendices H & I): It is important for members of the crisis team to be aware of the possibility of burnout. Psychological or physical burnout is a gradual process. Signs to watch for include, but are not limited to the following: Cognitive (e.g., identifying with the victims, inability to stop thinking about the event, inability to make decisions, etc.). Affective (e.g., depression and/or suicide ideation, irritability or rage, excessive pessimism, excessive worry about the victims, becoming jealous or upset if other individuals are doing crisis interventions, etc.). Behavioral (e.g., abuse of drugs/alcohol, social withdrawal, behaving impulsively, inability to return to one s normal job responsibilities, etc.). Physical (e.g., chronic fatigue, sleeping difficulties, eating difficulties, headaches, etc.). Strategies for Self-Care (See Appendix J): Understand that your reactions to the event are normal and common among crisis team individuals. You are experiencing normal reactions to an abnormal event. In order to help alleviate some of the physical symptoms you may experience during the first 1-3 days, try to alternate periods of strenuous physical exercise with relaxation. Know what your personal limitations are and do not do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. Try to continue with your daily routine (e.g., meals, exercise, etc.). Structure your time and try to stay busy. Engage in activities that you enjoy. Stay in touch with others, such as family and friends, who can offer support and encouragement. It is important not to isolate yourself. Do not use drugs/alcohol to help cope with your role as a caregiver. Ask your family and friends to support you by reducing their demands/pressures on you. Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water. Avoid caffeine. Take rests every couple of hours and try to get enough sleep each night. If you have difficulty sleeping, try writing in a journal, which may be helpful. At the end of each day, take time to process the events with your peers. Be kind to yourself and others Allow yourself to feel sad, angry, etc. Find ways to express your grief (e.g., write in a journal, donate to a cause/philanthropy, etc.) Two non-profit organizations that can support staff members after a critical incident are the following: The National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA): The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (CISM):

22 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER RESPONDING TO STUDENTS IN CRISIS 1. Tell the truth. Allow students to talk about the death and to express their feelings. Do not hide death from students. Do not avoid the subject in the classroom or be afraid to mention the dead person. 2. Be sensitive. Allow tears or other expressions of grief. Teachers should handle children s expressions of grief or loss to the degree that the teachers feel comfortable. If a student seems distraught or needs to talk further, the teacher should refer the student to someone else (counselor, other teacher, crisis team). 3. Be human. It s all right for adults to express their emotions or grief in front of children. 4. Listen responsively. Be attuned to nonverbal communication. Let students know that people show grief in different ways. 5. Accept feelings. Reassure students that all their feelings are acceptable (e.g., angry, sad, scared, confused) 6. Allow grief. Respect the legitimate sadness of the griever. Avoid wellmeaning reassurances (e.g., that they have other loved ones still living). 7. Be factual. Refrain from overdramatizing or over-emotionalizing the fact that someone has died. 8. Respond to feelings. Do not expect students to share your emotions. 9. Be supportive. Reassure younger students that it is not their fault that a person died. It is also all right if they did not like the person or had not always treated the person in the best manner. Emphasize that their behavior had nothing to do with the person s death. 10. Maintain classroom routine. This structure will help students focus. Avoid introducing new concepts or materials until the immediate crisis has passed. Keep it simple. 11. Allow sharing of memories. Remember students may have a need to review the relationship to, and memories of, the deceased. It has been estimated that the grieving process may take up to two years. 12. Respect beliefs. Keep in mind that religious perspectives are personal and individual. Varying beliefs should be respected when students discuss religious, cultural, or philosophical aspects of death. 13. Be watchful. Pay special attention to students who have experienced multiple losses. Students who have previously experienced death, divorce, illness, separation or geographic relocation are very vulnerable during any crisis. 14. Encourage parent/child communication. Advise parents to explain what will be happening at a funeral if students will be attending. 22

23 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER COMMON QUESTIONS Do we need supplies for crisis support activities? Kleenex, paper and markers (for making cards) are useful. Do we need to review the cards students make? When students make cards, go through them before sending them to the family. Sometimes students put in concrete images that might disturb rather than comfort the family. Some students or staff seem particularly upset, even though they were not close to the crisis situation. The crisis may trigger upset among individuals who, though not necessarily close to the current tragedy, have suffered other losses or trauma. Why do some people appear sad, some angry, some giddy, etc.? Be aware of the wide variety of grief reactions, and assist students, staff, and parents to recognize them in themselves and others. (please see Student Reactions to Traumatic Experiences handout) We're noticing that some students are antagonistic towards others. In some cases, factions may arise among students with different perceptions of the tragedy (e.g., assignment of blame, perception that someone does not appear to be sufficiently upset, etc.) Make sure that factual information is available and updated. I was surprised by some of the questions students asked! Be prepared for very concrete questions (e.g., about the body, medical procedures, etc.), particularly from young children. What do we tell parents who ask whether to allow their child to attend the funeral? Generally, for individuals close to the deceased, the funeral ceremony helps to provide closure and facilitate the grieving process. If the parent is concerned that the child tends to be anxious and may become more upset, discussion with an experienced counselor on the team can help them evaluate the pros and cons for this child. Parents can also consider having the child attend part of the ceremonies (e.g., attend the funeral service, but not a wake or burial). Is it necessary to explain what a funeral is like? Remember that some students have never attended a funeral. It is helpful to let them know, in general terms, what to expect. 23

24 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER COMMON QUESTIONS How do we handle spiritual/religious questions, such as questions about heaven? With a general comment, such as, "people have different beliefs," encourage children to discuss this with their families. Counselors should avoid advocating their personal beliefs. What should we say to students who are expressing feelings of vulnerability and fear? Some crises, such as those involving accidents, violence, or health issues, require efforts to reassure students of their safety (e.g., precautions taken to provide a safe environment, reassurance that risks of an accident or particular health problem are minimal, etc.) Should we say anything to a class when a student's materials (e.g., desk, photograph, bulletin board display) are removed? A general statement to the effect that materials were given to the family, or the desk moved to another room where it was needed, is helpful so that students do not feel that their classmate was simply "erased." This particularly applies to young children. A student asked for a memento of his /her classmate. What should I do? You can tell the student you are giving all personal items to the family, and that he/she may contact the family about this wish. Are students using counseling sessions to avoid class? The major counseling efforts occur for one or two days, and often many students attend counseling sessions. Although some may not appear so upset as to "need" them, they may indeed be having reactions that are not so evident. They may also be supporting friends who are more obviously grieving. Although there is a chance a few students may be coming for counseling out of curiosity or class avoidance, it seems better to err on the side of providing services than withholding them, particularly as this phase of counseling is usually brief. Are we providing more extensive services and referrals for individuals who need them? Yes; therefore team members leading counseling sessions should seek to identify such individuals. Also it is prudent to brief faculty and staff on recognition of signs and indicators that a student may need extra attention. Similar information is also available in flyers for parents. In addition, it is prudent to review the Student Suicide Prevention Handbook, in order to refresh one s awareness of these particular signs. Are we paying enough attention to our faculty and staff? In addition to meetings regarding the facts of the crisis and crisis procedures, staff should consider the need to provide debriefing or counseling services to staff, as well as allowing for respite breaks if needed. 24